Fateful Encounters
by Lina03
Summary: Kagome is back home for good...But the consequences of a fateful encounter in the past will follow her to her future. Mentions rape and adult situations. Slight crossover with YYH.
1. Chapter 1: Returned to the Future

**WARNING**: This story will mention rape and other adult situations. This is a WIP and I am still not sure how far I will take this but at the moment it is a slight crossover with YYH. This story will NOT contain SLASH and Sesshoumaru will not be making an appearance until much later in the story (but there is a very good reason for this).

**Fateful Encounters**

**Chapter 1**: Returned to the Future

Kagome Higurashi was sobbing at the bottom of her old dried out well. She was back at the shrine for good this time. She felt completely heartbroken and angry. Everything had been horrible the last three days and now this.

She had just defeated Naruku and in any other circumstance she would have been happy….But not this time.

**KHSSKHSSKHSS**

A very long time ago she had figured out that she could not make a wish on the jewel. There was no such thing as a selfless wish. This fact had always been present in her mind, but she had never thought such a realization would one day dictate her fate.

Just before getting sent back home Midoriko's spirit had explained what would happen to her now. She still couldn't believe this was happening to her along with everything else…

_Flashback (After the battle, before being sent home)_

There was nothing but light, no physical sense of self…only a state of consciousness through which she could hear Midoriko's voice. She didn't know how she knew it was her, she just did.

"Kagome acknowledged a truth that many refused to see: that the jewel could be destroyed by making a selfless wish was a clue, not a riddle. Out of all the guardians ever appointed to it, you are the only one that has measured up to my expectations."

"What do you mean?"

"True selflessness is an idealistic concept, not reality. You are the only one to realize and _accept_ that fact. Your purity enables you to resist corruption by the power of the jewel and because of your wisdom you have never once coveted its power or were presumptuous enough to believe you could destroy it… It is because of these qualities that I have chosen you as the Final Guardian; now that you have destroyed Naraku as you were destined to do and have completed the jewel once more…your presence in no longer needed here."

"But…But…" Midoriko ignored her protests and continued. "The jewel will cease to exist as we know it. Instead it will become incorporated into your life force. Your soul will essentially neutralize the souls within the jewel, including mine; all that will be left will be power. Thus, you will cease to be human and become immortal until the power of the jewel dissipates with the passage of time, which should take a minimum of 1000 years; its power is that vast

"This power has been given to you and to you alone. No one can take it and you cannot be rid of it. To others you will seem as you always have: a powerful human priestess, but that is all. No one but you now knows the truth of your power, be careful who trust you trust with this secret, if possible don't mention it again."

By now Kagome's grief was so great it felt as if a black hole had opened up in her chest.

"I regret that you had to suffer so." Midoriko said gently. "But I don't regret my choice. You will always remain as you are: kindhearted and pure, for I have met no other that's equal to your heart and I refuse to have you change in the future. You have too much power at your disposal to become embittered and angry due to your fate. I truly wish you the best and believe me when I say that you truly are more than equal to this task. Thank you for finally letting me rest in peace."

**KHSSKHSSKHSS**

Now she was back in the future, unable to return to her friends ever again. Still, thought she hated the fact that she had beep ripped away from her friends without being able to say goodbye, deep down she was a little grateful. Now she wouldn't have to push them away as she had been doing the last few days.

"Kagome? Sweetie are you hurt?" Kagome looked up through tear filled eyes to see her mother's worried expression at the top edge of the well.

"I'm fine…I'll be right up." Kagome replied as she got up and started climbing the stairs up tiredly. Once out, she hugged her mother as tightly as she could, trembling in exhaustion and distress.

"Kagome, you're not fine. Come let's go inside."

Kagome didn't register anything after that. All she knew was that suddenly she was back in her room, showered, and in her bed crying on her mother's lap.

"Shh, shh…I'm here. Try to rest. You're home now. You're safe…"

Kagome closed her eyes and slept.


	2. Chapter 2: Talking Things Out

**Fateful Encounters**

**Chapter 2**: Talking Things Out

A month had passed since Kagome had returned home and she was finally coping with what had happened. She had spent her time meditating, thinking, saying good bye, and when she needed to, crying out her sorrow. Her family supported her silently, making sure that she ate and took care of herself.

Now, after coming to terms with the turn her life had taken, she was ready to talk about it with her mother.

Kagome went down to breakfast that morning feeling better than she had in a long time now.

"Good morning, honey." Kun-Loon greeted her daughter without really expecting a verbal answer in return.

"Good morning, mama." Kagome surprised her with a smile, a sad one, but still the first smile since she arrived home an emotional wreck.

Kun-Loon smiled wider in reply and in silent acknowledgment of her improvement. "Do you want to eat anything in particular?"

"No thanks. I'll be outside by the Goshinboku. I want to talk to you over tea if we can?"

"Sure honey, take a sweater with you though, it's a little colder than usual for early September."

Less than an hour later Kagome and her mother were sitting side by side at the kitchen table; a full teapot in the center, both of them sipping freshly brewed St. John's Wort tea.

Kagome put her cup on the table and curled her hands around it to keep them warm. "It's hard mother…Not just because I have lost my dearest friends but because of how things were between us my last days with them."

Her mother grasped her hand in gentle encouragement.

"Do you remember about 8 months back when I told you I had helped S-Sesshoumaru, when I found him gravely injured?"

"Yes, you told me that you were becoming friends with him. He was even teaching you to handle a sword if I'm not mistaken?"

Kagome closed her eyes at the overwhelming memories and emotions her mother's words called forth. She had a history of friendships with people that had at least tried to harm her at one point. When she found Sesshoumaru that day she never would have thought thing would turn out so bad.

"Kagome?"

Kagome took a trembling breath and tried to fortify herself. "Yes. Him. Inuyasha's older brother. After I went back the last time Sango told me that we had to be more careful because demon mating season was coming up. Since I had the jewel shards it was remotely possible that demons might mistake the jewel's power as my own while in their instinct driven states. However, the only demons that would make such a mistake were low-class demons that any of us could easily handle on our own. I even asked Sesshoumaru about it and he told me that powerful unmated demons locked themselves up behind powerful wards to keep themselves from mating someone their rational selves would find unsuitable."

"Lock up? Wouldn't it be hard to do this every year?"

"It's not like that. For most demons, mating seasons only come every 50 years. For demons as powerful as S-Sesshoumaru, it only happens every 200 years….At any rate, as you know Inuyasha and I had been like brother and sister for over a year now and four nights before the final battle he left to be with Kikyo. We agreed to wait for him to come back the next night, so he could spent some time on their own…Inuyasha is half demon after all. That night, Sango had taken the first watch and the rest of us went to sleep….It all happened too fast for anyone to be able to react. I didn't even realize what had happened until I was dropped on the ground."

Kagome drank some more tea to calm herself down and reorganize her thoughts, searching for enough courage to relate what happened next.

"It was Sessh-Sesshoumaru…But he wasn't himself, his inner demon was in control. His eyes were red and his teeth were sharp fangs. Even the stripes on his cheeks had become jagged and darker in color. He was terrifying… I had only seen him like that twice before and I had never feared him as I did then. The first time was from when I first met him and he tried to kill me in his father's tomb."

She stopped, reminiscing for a minute.

"And the second time?" Her mother prompted. Kagome shook her head and continued.

"The second time was when I found him wounded. It was very disconcerting to heal someone that acts like a wounded animal. He glared at me with those red eyes and growled at me until he accepted my help. He even asked me what I wanted for helping him, his voice a rumbling growl, very different from his usual temperate pitch. But he settled down after I told him that I wanted nothing from him, I just wanted to help him. He stayed in that form for the rest of the night. I didn't see his humanoid persona until morning. I suppose the pain kept him in his more bestial form because he felt vulnerable." She shrugged, she had never really figured out why Sesshoumaru's youkai had allowed her near him and Sesshoumaru had always ignored her inquiry when she had asked.

In truth, she had helped him because even if he hated her, she knew that he no longer threatened Inuyasha or the rest of their group. He had given up on Tessaiga a long time ago and in the end, he was still Inuyasha's last living relative. She had been truthful when she told him she wanted nothing from him.

"I don't know what he thought of my answer or what made him change his mind about me, but after that he came to visit me often. Somehow he always caught me alone and later on after my friends got used to the idea, he and I would talk or train whenever we happened to meet after that…That night, when he took me from camp was obviously different. He was different, far more feral somehow. For the first time I truly feared for my life in his presence."

Kagome took a deep breath, swallowing down tears.

"Demons….Demons don't marry. They mate…for life. But it is a two way thing. The participants must each mark their mates, usually during or right after…coupling." Kagome was almost whispering by now and had started rubbing at the purple crescent moon that marked her, right where her neck and shoulder met on her left side.

"He-He forced himself on me…" She brought her trembling teacup to her lips and sipped slowly, trying to calm herself once more.

"He marked me and tried to make me mark him as well…I refused." A tear slowly trickled down her cheek.

"He was so angry. He wouldn't let go of me. Shook me and growled at me…calling me 'mate' and telling me to finish the mating." Kun-Loon hugged her daughter close, both of them crying silently; Kagome for what had been taken from her and Kun-Loon for the pain her daughter was suffering but could do nothing about.

"Oh sweetheart, how did you escape?"

"I knew he wasn't himself…Not really. I didn't want to hurt him. But in the end I had no choice. I sent a concentrated blast of purification energy toward his face. It was enough to knock him out and I fled. I found an old abandoned hut and some rags. I neutralized my scent and concealed the mating mark, using the rags to cover myself up while I waited for dawn. On my way back to camp I found a hot spring so I bathed there, trying to clean myself as much as I could, I don't think I was thinking clearly just then, I just wanted to feel _clean_…Somehow Inuyasha and the others found me there. Sango joined me there and tried to get me to tell her what had happened but I couldn't do it. She took care of the scratches and bruises I had and brought me some of my own clothes. I don't remember much about the rest of that day; it's all a big blur of faces and voices."

"Why didn't you tell her? She would have understood. She knew you had been kidnapped."

"It wasn't that. Things between S-Sesshoumaru and our group had been calm for a while by then. What he had done, he hadn't done in his right mind…I didn't want to disrupt things between them."

"I don't understand." Kun-Loon said astounded. "How could you expect things to remain the same after what he did to you?"

"Mama, he probably regrets what he did more than I do, if for different reasons. Once he returned to his right mind and realized what he had done he would have been dismayed by the very thought of attempting to mate a human, he would have started to search for a way to undo it. Also, I sent him a message with Myoga, not to come near me if he could help it…I was not going to be in the Feudal Era much longer, though I had not expected to be returned so soon either. There was no point in telling them and making them hostile towards a very powerful demon that they will at least meet in passing for the rest of their lives. "

Her mother looked at her with sadness in her eyes but didn't say anything.

"Mama, it was an accident, a horrible accident. I truly believe this, I don't know what happened or why he wasn't under seal, but whatever the reason I know he values his self-control too much to have done this on purpose. I understand this but I'm not saying I can forget what has been done to me. I could not be friends with him after such a thing and… I never want to see him again."

AN: Suggestion and Comments are welcome, as always.

Till next time,

Lina =)


	3. Chapter 3: A Discovery

**Fateful Encounters**

**Chapter 3:** A Discovery

After telling her mother the hardest part, the rest of her story came easier. Kagome told her about how she acted the last few days of her stay in the past, the final battle, and Midoriko's message. In the end she felt a lot better, lighter and calmer. She felt liberated after sharing the multitude of her emotions with someone else.

Finally, she felt ready to face her future.

KHSS KHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSS

This was the fourth morning Kagome had woken up sick to her stomach and she was still waiting for her period to start. She was usually as regular as clockwork; it was normal for her to be late a week or even two when she was stressed but she had never actually missed a period…and she was afraid of what this could mean.

She had not told her mother about her fears but she couldn't ignore it any longer, she knew she needed help.

She was sitting on her bed, thinking about what she should do when she heard her mother knock on her door before stepping into her room. "Kagome? You look a little pale."

Kagome sighed; she might as well tell her now that she was already here. "I-I've been waking up feeling nauseous these past few days…and I've missed a period." She told her quietly, staring at her feet as she tried to keep calm. "Mama, I'm afraid…"

"Oh, honey." Her mother sat down on the bed beside her and held her tightly. They stayed like that for a long time; Kagome simply breathed in her mother's scent and listened to her steady heartbeat as if it were a sign of her fortitude and continued support.

"Do you want me to go with you to the doctor?"

"NO!...I mean, no, I don't think I could have a stranger touch me right now." She shuddered, just thinking about it made her skin crawl. "Besides, this might just be an irregularity, it could be nothing right?"

Her mother nodded reassuringly, though both of them were silently praying that was all it was; for everyone's sake.

Three and a half hours later Kun-Loon and Kagome awaited the results of the last pregnancy test of the four different brands that had been bought. They heard the ding of the timer and looked at each other in nervousness. Kagome swallowed and shook her head in a jerky fashion; she really _really_ didn't want to look at the results.

Closing her eyes, she crossed her fingers and she waited as her mother went to see the result displays. After a long moment of silence, she couldn't stand the stillness any more and opened her eyes to see her mother's tear streaked face looking at her with heartbreak in her eyes.

"No…"

"I'm so sorry." She heard her mother tell her, as if from far away.

Kagome felt the room getting smaller and smaller - she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think, she couldn't see…

"Kagome, honey, please wake up. You're scaring me!" Kagome regained consciousness to feel her mother tapping her cheek with light slaps and wiping her forehead with a cool, damp cloth.

Kagome blinked up at her mother's face and grasped her hands tightly in a panic. "Mama – I'm 17, I can't- how will I care for a demon child?"

Kagome felt so overwhelmed she closed her eyes again and held on even tighter to her mother's hands, trying to keep a foothold on reality even if it wasn't one she wanted to face.

Kun-Loon gently took hold of her daughter's face with both hands and waited for her to look into her eyes once more. "You-you don't…Kagome…whatever you decide, I will support you and I will _never_ look down on you for your choices. You are my only daughter and…I love you, I will always love you. Do-do you understand me?"

Kagome looked into her mother's puffy, red eyes and grave expression and _understood_ what her mother was saying. She sniffed and pushed back the tears that threatened to fall. In all truth, the possibility of an abortion had never entered her mind. This child was inside her, a living part of her. Regardless of what the father had done and her own weakness, the child was innocent.

She would never be able to live with her self if she….no; she didn't even want to consider it anymore. But then…how will she take care of it? She couldn't give it up for adoption, it would be a hanyou and even if it wasn't, what assurances would have that it would be well taken care of? She would never know what kind of people the adopted parents where. What if they abused it, neglected it, or who knows what else.

The more she thought about it the more determined she became of keeping it. She couldn't give it up…she just couldn't do it.

Kun-Loon saw her daughter thinking and knew what her answer would be when she saw Kagome hug her stomach protectively. She took a long look at her adolescent daughter, not yet a woman in her view, but so mature and in spite of of all the pain and problems rising around them, she had never felt prouder as a mother as she felt at that moment.

KHSS KHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSS

Kagome accepted the reality of her situation but she couldn't help cursing the fates for it. She had always pictured herself getting married and starting a family with joy, never would she have imagined anything like what she was now going through.

She hated herself for resenting her pregnancy, but most of all she hated her weakness - for not being able to be feel happier about her child. Could she really do this? Could she be a good mother to her child - could she let go of her bitterness and raise her child like a child should be raised?

That night Kagome cried herself to sleep grieving for the life that she'd always wanted but will never have…and with no answers to the many questions still plaguing her mind.

The next morning Kagome finished waking up with her head in the toilet. She will truly be glad when all of this went away. As soon as she was able to think again, she realized she had no idea about what her pregnancy would be like.

So far, she had been operating in the human idea of a pregnancy but she had no clue if this was in fact the way of it. However, before giving in to panic she showered and got ready to speak with her grandfather. Her mother had told her that she'd take care of informing the family of her condition but as the elder of the household, Kagome still wanted to hear her grandfather's opinion and maybe even some advice.

After an awkward breakfast with no one really knowing how to act, Kagome and her grandfather stayed behind to talk as her mother went to visit an old friend and Sota left for school.

Even with the awkwardness, Kagome had never been more grateful for her family. Her brother had told her that he loved her and he was there if she ever needed him before going to school. Even at 11, Kagome could see that he would grow up to be a good man, an uncle her child could have no problem being proud of.

After sitting down with a box of shrine souvenirs that still needed to be wrapped for individual sale, they talked of recent events while working together until finally her grandfather brought up the subject she was most nervous about. She had not finished high school and now that she was pregnant she knew she would not be finishing it up any time soon.

She feared that even though her family was understanding of her circumstances they might still feel disappointed; her grandfather most especially, for he had grown up with an ingrained respect for the importance of a good education. She didn't know how her family will feel when she resorted to working at WackDonalds, or someplace like it, for lack of a high school diploma.

"Kagome, you know that we are all proud of everything you have achieved, don't you?" Grandpa started and pinned her with a firm look. He, like Sota, was careful not to touch her and Kagome was grateful for their caution. Even now, she stiffened with discomfort and almost fear when anyone other than her mother touched her.

She nodded in answer to his question.

"Do you remember all those little items from the feudal era, the ones you brought for me to sell in order to pay for the supplies you took to the past with you?"

"Yes," Kagome said slowly, not really seeing what this had to do with anything.

"Well, the truth is that you were set with the very first item you brought me. It was enough to pay for everything you bought the last two years." Kagome could not believe her ears and just stared at her grandfather in open-mouthed amazement.

"I chose to open a separate savings account for you, beside the one linked to the debit card you used for your purchases. All the money earned from the items I was able to sell off to private collectors and museums was placed in this separate savings account. I guess what I am trying to tell you is not to worry about money manners. I had planned to tell you about it as part of your graduation present but…I think now would be a more appropriate time, right?" He smiled at her a little sad but still with a mischievous twinkle in his eye.

"You are now a very wealthy woman, but I am sure you can handle the responsibility." Kagome had to blink back tears when he said that. He had always called her 'girl' before and though she had always complained about it, it hurt not to hear it now.

"You know I believe a child is a gift from the gods and deserves full time attention. I don't want you to worry about what anyone else might think. We know you are capable, and when the time is right, you will finish your education to your satisfaction. For now, I just want to assure you that you have more than enough wealth for you and your child to live comfortably for the next two centuries, if not more. I just want you to remember that there is always a reason why things happen as they do, the gods don't make mistakes and perhaps this child is just what you need to make you happy. After all, in a way, you have a little bit of Inuyasha with you now, don't you think?"

Kagome sat there completely astounded, she had not thought of it that way.

Inuyasha had been the closest thing she'd had to family in the feudal era. She missed all her friends but Inuyasha will always hold a special place in her heart. Not only had he been the first person she'd seen after leaving the well but he'd also been her first crush and her protector at the beginning of their quest.

This child she carried was part of Inuyasha's bloodline, his blood - his nephew.


	4. Chapter 4: Seeking Help

**Fateful Encounters**

**Chapter 4:** Seeking Help

Another month had flashed by since she'd found out about her pregnancy. At the moment, the morning sickness had not stopped but it was no longer a daily occurrence like before. In fact, Kagome had never felt better. After her talk with her grandpa and learning that she was financially secure she started thinking of her circumstances in another light.

During the first month back, she'd decided that she would never have children. Just because she will live for hundreds of years didn't mean any of her offspring would live anywhere past a normal human lifespan. She had realized that she could never have a life with another human because with time they might come to resent her semi-immortality. Nor could she bear to think of losing someone she loved after spending such a short part of her life with him.

Not to mention that with the way she felt about men at the moment, she won't be ready to even think about romance for a very long time. She felt cold just thinking about giving anyone, especially a man, such access to her being. But this pregnancy had changed all those plans for a lonely existence that she had already resigned herself to.

Her child would most likely be a hanyou, which gave her hope that he/she will have an extended lifespan. Inuyasha had been 257 when they'd met, so Kagome imagined her child would live just as long. However even now, all she wanted for her child was for it to be happy, to know his/her own mind and be strong like the Inuyasha she had known so well towards the end. Whatever his fate might have been, she was just glad that by the time she'd been taken away Inuyasha had already accepted himself as a hanyou and been able to find some inner peace because of it.

She knew demons still existed in her time, for she had finally become powerful enough to sense their hidden auras about eight months ago. She had not mentioned it to anyone in the feudal era however, for she had never sensed any of her demon friends' auras in the present. So she'd chosen to keep her thoughts to herself and just pushed the matter out of her mind since Inuyasha never sensed anything anyway.

"Kagome, are you feeling car sick again?" Her mother's voice snapped her from her thoughts. Kagome turned her head and gave her a reassuring smile before looking out the window once more. They were driving to the residence of Master Genkai, a powerful psychic and martial artist. Genkai had met her mother many years ago. The psychic had been researching the purifying power of mikos and had come to the shrine seeking information, which is when they'd met. In fact, half the information Grandpa now has on demons had come from her.

After Kagome's pregnancy had come to light, they had all known that they needed someone knowledgeable of human and demon anatomy as an adviser. Her mother knew that Genkai was a master of the reihado technique and was well known among the spiritual community for her extensive healing abilities, so she had decided to contact her as a possibility. For the past few weeks Kun-Loon had been getting reacquainted and testing the waters so to speak, to see if Genkai would be able, and willing, to help them.

"Don't worry honey. She has known about demons for a long time and she has mentioned no ill will towards them. Obviously, I didn't tell her much about you, I don't have your ability to see people's auras and I would never willingly endanger you by being overconfident."

"Its okay mom, no matter how skilled she is, I will know if she can be truly be trusted…and we can do this alone if we absolutely have to. We have already handled so much on our own, all I need to know is that we have each other and that's enough right now."

When they got to the outside borders of Genkai's land they had to continue on foot. It was actually quite beautiful with tall trees and healthy green vegetation all around them. When they reached the long staircase leading to the front gateway Kagome couldn't help but feel dismayed. She was healthy and strong but she knew so little about how this pregnancy was affecting her body she had to take it easy no matter how fit she might feel.

They climbed slowly but steadily and eventually made it to stand in front of a traditional Japanese style house. At the house's entrance a short elderly woman waited with a cigarette in one hand and the other behind her back. Genkai's expression was neutral and her stand relaxed, but Kagome had known enough warriors that she recognized how deceptive her posture actually was. She also had to contain a gasp as she saw and felt the power this woman wielded. She wasn't as powerful as Kagome had been before becoming the jewel's guardian, but it was a close thing.

Her aura was also interesting. She was completely surrounded by darkness, but her core wasn't tainted by it. The only way Kagome could think of it was that this woman was truly neutral; not light and not dark, but constantly shifting in a beautiful display of natural harmony.

Kagome saw Genkai's eyes narrow as she scrutinized her and then turn to her mother in accusation. "She is a powerful miko…well trained from what I can tell. Why have you come to ask _me_ about demons?"

"Genkai-san, I'm in need of an adviser…someone that knows demon physiology-"

"I already figured that out-Why?" She asked forcefully. Kagome thought about her options once again. Her instincts were telling her Genkai was trustworthy but she still felt apprehensive about sharing her secret with a stranger - and a powerful stranger at that. But then again, she couldn't be killed, the jewel wouldn't allow it. So she went with the logical choice and hoped for the best.

"I'm pregnant."

Genkai looked between Kagome and Ku-Loon for a long moment then she threw away her cigarette and waved a hand for them to follow her inside. She opened a set of sliding doors on her left and showed them to a well light room with a view of the surrounding forest. Genkai's expressionless face was making Kagome nervous, but she obeyed as she motioned them to take a seat at the low table in the middle of the room. They sat in silence until Genkai spoke up once again.

"I take it the father is a demon?" Kagome had to clear her throat before answering but did manage to choke out an answer.

"Yes, a dog demon."

Genkai's eyebrows rose slightly. "Dog demons have the strongest family ties in the demon world, equaled only by that of wolves. What is the problem?"

Kagome was silent, not sure of what to say. Genkai huffed, visibly annoyed.

"Demon matings are not human marriages. Hiding your mark does not sever his connection to you, if you are trying to run away I advice you to give up on that foolish idea right now. You should know he can track you down using your mating marks. As a miko you should have known what you were getting into or you shouldn't have mated him to begin with."

By now Kagome was pale as a ghost and Ku-Loon was reddening in anger.

"My daughter didn't mark anyone! That bastard marked her without permission-" She stopped mid-rant however, when she heard her daughter's whimper.

"Could he really find me because of this? Would he know that I'm still alive?" Genkai frowned, deep in thought.

"I don't think so. Mating marks for demons with humanoid form are made through a minute exchange of youki (an ability controlled by a demon's inner beast or youkai as it is commonly called), or in the case of humans, life force. For demons their youki _is_ their life force, which is why demons can't die of old age since it grows as they continue to live. You could probably use his mark on you to call out to him but without having your mark himself he has no real connection with you. In all honesty, I'm not completely sure if your call would even reach him. I have never heard of an unfinished mating and before today I would have deemed such a thing an impossibility."

Kagome finally let out the breath she'd been holding, taking in a deep breath in relief. Until she noticed Genkai was still frowning. "What is it? Have you remembered something else, Genkai-san?"

"No...How far along are you?"

"2 months, but I have no idea how long my pregnancy will last or what to expect, which is why we came seeking your aid."

"I have only tended to human births and even if I had only experience with demon births it would be mostly useless because you are human…If you really expect me to help you I need to know what I'm getting into. In addition to your medical/personal history I need to know that I won't have an enraged dog demon breaking down my door to retrieve his mate and/or offspring."

Kagome looked at her mother in distress. It was one thing to tell her mother about what had happened, but she could never share the last few years of her life with a stranger at the droop of a hat.

"I'll tell her everything, if you…" Ku-Loon trailed off, leaving the final choice to her daughter. If they trusted Genkai with this, there was no going back. Kagome and her mother had already decided not to tell anyone about the true fate of the jewel, not even Genkai. Instead, she will be told that the jewel had banished upon Kagome's return to this time. It was just not advisable to share such an important secret anyone, demon, human, or otherwise.

Kagome nodded. "I think I need some fresh air. I'll be outside if you need me."

Kagome knew she was acting cowardly, but she didn't have the courage to listen and relive the most wonderful and horrible events of her life… not when she still felt her friends' loss so deeply and while she was still trying to push the circumstances of her pregnancy to the most hidden recesses of her mind.

For now, she just wanted to be calm and focus on being happy about her baby, nothing else mattered. She headed for the nearest tree she could find and took a seat in its shadows, clearing her mind of useless thoughts and sinking into her center, looking for peace within herself even if she couldn't find it in her life.

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AN: Well, here is another chapter, sorry it's so short but I just can't seem to make these longer *sighs* Hope you all enjoy and a million thanks for everyone that reviewed. As always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

-Lina


	5. Chapter 5: Pregnancy, Part I

**AN **- In case you don't all know the words I'm using…  
_reikai:_ spirit realm/world  
_makai:_ demon realm/world  
_ningenkai_: human realm/world  
_hanyou_: half-demon  
_youkai_: demon  
_reihado_: spirit wave

**Fateful Encounters**

**Chapter 5:** Pregnancy, Part I

After Ku-Loon had finished Kagome's story Genkai had invited them to stay for lunch and informed them about how things were at present. She told them about how the three realms came into being after the battle with Naraku: reikai, makai, and ningenkai. She also explained about why there were few demons in ningenkai, including the periphery barrier that barred access to all A-class+ demons and the monitoring done by the spirit realm.

"All the demons you knew would have reached A-class level or higher by now, if they are still alive. Thus, they would be prohibited to live in the human realm. I don't expect you will ever see them again, unless you somehow make it to makai and that is not an advisable action for a human, much less a miko. Have you thought about where you are going to live and how you are going to hide your child's youki from spirit world's monitoring?"

Kagome nodded as she tried to hide a yawn with her hand. She was sleepy, as she usually was nowadays after meals. "I want to raise my child here. I can conceal a demon's youki without a problem, I've done it before. I can also do illusions but I have never tried to hide the demonic attributes of a demon or hanyou before, but I think I know where to start. If he or she, as an adult, wants to go to makai that will no longer be up to me."

"I see." Genkai said looking at her with a thoughtful expression on her face. She was silent for a long time and Kagome just waited, knowing that in the end the decision to help was Genkai's alone.

"I admit that you annoyed me at the beginning. Other than your miko power, though considerable, you looked like a weak teenager trying to act grown up. However, after listening to your story and taking your youth into account, I suppose I can understand your actions. First off we must speak of how I'm to help you and what my care would entail before we do anything else. For one, you will have to come live with me until you give birth at least. As of now you can't stand anyone's touch and obviously I will need to touch you if I'm to be your midwife. In addition, your pregnancy has too many unknowns, not only because you are human but because you're a miko. Daily or almost daily monitoring will be required. The first examinations can be done using my reihado, but I will have to do a physical examination at some point; something I doubt will happen if I allowed you to keep hiding in your mother's skirts."

Kagome didn't know what to say. Though what Genkai was saying sounded harsh she was smart enough to see that it made sense. Still, it didn't lessen her unhappiness with the situation. She needed to feel completely comfortable in Genkai's presence by the time she gave birth; otherwise she would be making things harder on herself than they needed to be.

"My family will still be able to visit me, right?"

"Of course, though for now I will just encourage that they don't visit you more than once a week. Once I have a better idea of how your pregnancy is progressing and how much of my attention you will need, we will change visitation times accordingly."

They spent the rest of the day talking everything through and convincing Genkai to accept their reimbursement. Genkai had only wanted their permission to add Kagome's experience onto her miko research (unanimously of course). However, from Kagome's point of view if she was going to be living there, the least she could do was pay for the food and attention she will be receiving. In the end Genkai had accepted the deal with a smirk, telling her that she wasn't a push-over like she'd feared.

Kagome still didn't know if that had been a compliment or an insult.

KHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSSKHSS

Kagome was nervous. She had moved in with Genkai yesterday evening, after coming to an accord with her the day before that. They had set up a daily schedule that will be adjusted as needed but for the most part first thing in the morning will be an examination. Then breakfast and chores followed by lunch. After lunch was Kagome's nap, which she could no longer do without, followed by meditation and then dinner. After dinner, came a half-hour walk accompanied by Genkai and then to bed by 10pm to wake up the next morning for the 6:30 exam; overall, not too bad with plenty of personal time (and in Kagome's case, nap time) for the both of them.

They had already agreed that Genkai will take care of breakfast, Kagome will be in charge of lunch, and they will trade off preparing dinner. The dishes for each meal will be done by the one that cooks it while the person in charge of dinner that day cleaned up the house after breakfast. Cleaning won't be much of a chore really since Genkai was a stickler for cleanliness and order, so it should be a quick task.

This morning, the first of many Kagome will be spending there, was her first prenatal examination and she had no idea how things were going to turn out.

When she entered the room it wasn't as big as the others she'd seen in the house but it was still spacious. It was also decorated in a soothing blue color so light that it was almost white, which was very different from the rest of the house which consisted of natural dark wood and a black/white color scheme. There was a single one-person bed in the middle of the room, a small bedside table, and what looked like a large medical cabinet on the wall opposite the door.

"Good morning, Higurashi; any morning sickness today?" Genkai said and motioned her to lie on the bed. Kagome shook her head and did as instructed. Genkai raised her arms perpendicular to her own body, her hands hovering less than a foot above Kagome's abdomen. "Try to remain calm and don't fight my energy, but tell me if you start to feel pain or anything unusual; no matter how insignificant you might think it to be."

Kagome closed her eyes and relaxed her body as much as possible but couldn't contain a gasp as she felt Genkai's energy working itself into her body. She was barely able to stop her body's instinctive response to attempt and purify the foreign energy. However, once she became familiar with Genkai's energy, she was able to relax her guard without further problems and simply waited for the examination to be over.

It was over about 15minutes later and they decided to discuss the results over breakfast. It was not good for Kagome to be hungry for too long after all, she hated feeling grouchy.

"Surprisingly enough you are in perfect physical health. I am somewhat confused by everything else I found however…nothing bad, just not at all what I was expecting. I had theorized that because your child would be part youkai you will instinctively shield it from your purifying energy but this is not the case. Amazingly, your holy energy is flowing throughout your body like normal-"

"Are you saying that I purified my baby's youki and is now completely human because of me?!" Kagome asked horrified.

Genkai scoffed and answered: "Not at all. In fact, I can't detect a hint of human energy at all! If I'm not mistaken your child is a pure demon, not a hanyou. You have told me that you are close to 9 weeks pregnant. At this time in a human pregnancy the embryo should be no bigger than a grape. But in your case, the baby is about two inches long and seems to have already developed enough to move, though you can't feel it yet." Here she stopped and looked Kagome in the eye.

"He also tried to repel my energy and seemed to be trying to attract your attention. His energy was 'tapping' against yours, but since he is still so weak you won't notice it unless you look for it."

"He? It's a boy?" Kagome asked in wonder.

Genkai smiled for the first time at Kagome. "Yes, it's a boy."

Kagome smiled back, pure happiness spreading throughout her being: she was having a baby boy. But then…"How is this possible? I'm human; he can't be a pure demon."

"I have no idea at the moment. If you had been a dog demon you would be almost ready to give birth. Female dog demons only carry for 11-12 weeks. In human terms he would probably be considered to be around the 12th week; though a youkai, your baby is nowhere near the expected youkai level of development,. It is clear that he's developing faster than a human fetus but slower than a demon one. I had expected this, but I had been expecting this from a hanyou. I don't see how this can be when the baby is clearly a full youkai."

Genkai frowned and placed her hands behind her back trying to control her frustration. "You are an embodiment of contradictions. Somehow you are not fully mated. You seem fragile but are not weak. Your child is youkai even though you are human. Your miko energy is not affecting your child's youki in the slightest and I have no idea how he will continue to develop... I will need to look into my library. I have found no records of a miko giving birth to a demon's baby but I will look again in case I missed something. For now I would like to do daily examinations to see how fast your baby is growing and I suggest you try to reach him with your own energy as you meditate. Demons are much more in tune with their instincts than humans. It is possible he recognizes you as his mother and needs to be acknowledged by you somehow." Genkai shrugged as she picked up the breakfast dishes and left for the kitchen sink.

Later that day, after Kagome finished preparing lunch, she went to meditate and try to reach out to her son. It didn't take her long after gaining her focus to find her son's consciousness. Like Genkai said, he was quite adamant on attracting her attention. It was a new experience for Kagome. She had only done this once with Miroku, as practice, in case someone was in need of spiritual inner healing. In such cases healing can only be done by gaining access to the afflicted person's mind and inner energy.

This experience was completely different from that one however. With Miroku she had a sense of 'words' once she'd established a mental link. This wasn't like that at all. She could 'see' her son's youki reacting to her presence with what she could only describe as happiness, swirling around excitedly one moment and curling up around her in contentment the next.

It was a very unique experience, but one that filled her heart with love. This was her son she was communicating with, her son that she was feeling and seeing. It made everything somehow much more real to her, but with it came an overwhelming feeling of shame. How could she have ever resented this beautiful being, how…Her depressing train of thought was cut off before it could get any further however, when she suddenly felt her son's youki surrounding her even tighter, brushing against her in comfort and slight worry.

Kagome smiled and responded with her own holy energy. Now that she was completely certain that it truly didn't hurt him at all she spent the next hour in communion with her son. It was the most wonderful experience of her life and having this connection with him somehow made all her past pain worth it for a change.

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AN: Please review and as always, comments and suggestions are welcome.

-Lina


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